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The Churchill Tank in Normandy: Part One 40-44

Ratty Relic or Bocage Buster?

How did it go from a hated, atrocious POS tank worthy only of the scrapheap to a reliable, trustworthy, survivable and popular gun tank in action?

Another pertinent tale. /1
#WW2 #SWW #History

 At 38 tons the Churchill was clearly a beast but a manageable one, given concerns about railway loading gauge had informed development (even then you still had to remove the side air louvres for rail tpt).

As always, compromise & industrial limitations underpinned design. /2
Early Mk I and Mk II were respectively armed with a 2 Pounder with coaxial Besa in the turret but with differing hull armament, I - 3" howitzer, II - Besa machine gun.

88.9mm of front armour provided excellent protection for the five man crew, and WS No. 19 provided comms. /3
Other than being undergunned another problem was, they didn't work very well.

But why?

It call comes back to, you guessed it, June 1940 - at the height of that invasion-scare summer.

AFV cupboards were bare so the initial models were raced into production in June 1940... /4
there wasn't time for proper prototyping or accompanying development as the imperative to have ANY gun tank pushed Vauxhall to the limit in the race to get SOMETHING, ANYTHING into the field.

9 RTR probably enjoyed the dubious honour of the first Churchill deliveries. /5
They discovered an AFV deeply riddled and persistent severe mechanical faults, to the extent that after the crisis period had effectively passed that in January 1942 the project was nearly canned.

42% of Churchills off the road
Up to 75% breaking down on average Ex /6
Problems were compounded by inexperience and new inexperienced fitters doing everything by the manual, quite literally, leading to over-maintenance and critical mechanical failure on a regimental level.

Broken Churchills littered camps, ranges and the British countryside. /7
In April 1942, Churchill and Paget viewed a regiment of Churchills from 31 Tank Brigade in action.

Well, sorta, to try and get numbers together Brigadier T.R. Price saw 31 Tank Brigade scrounge almost every working tank to pull a composite regiment together for the demo. /8
The whole affair bit Price even more when paget complimented him on, "the arrangement and the performance and maintenance of the tanks."

But there was a flip side that paid off down the road. Vauxhall and the Army spent over a year dedicating themselves to the Churchill. /9
Very early on Vauxhall sent letters to units, advising it was still a tank very much under development and imploring them to work together.

This earned a lot of good will.

As did frequent exchanges of army personnel (on extra pay) to work with Vauxhall staff in Luton. /10
Collaboration, honest feedback & development paid off & it was becoming apparent that the Churchill wasn't a complete lemming.

Fitters got better. Parts improved. Design improved.

By May 1942 deliberations as to a wholesale Rework scheme continued and gained the green light./11
Instead of scrapping the cantankerous Churchill project, Vauxhall and the Army elected to make them, in the words of the Director of Tank Design, "mechanically reliable and in every way battle ready."

Through near-nut and bolt factory rebuilds the Churchill was revitalised. /12
Reworked vehicles gained the R suffix after their T number & soon a new reputation as a dependable, reliable tank was being earned.

In many ways the Rework Scheme was the start of a long road into '44.

Army/civilian staff continually liaised & attended technical conferences./13
Over the course of 1943 to 1944 even reworked Churchills underwent even more additional mods in preparation for Overlord, wrapping up in early May '44 when the last 'Flying Squads' from Vauxhall arrived to give all Churchills a once over. /14
These modifications could vary down to the brigade or regimental level, allowing the majority of tanks to be identified to a brigade or regiment.*

*Restorers take serious note here... those 'post-war mods' may not be so, and factory spec is the death of reliable Churchills. /15
Such a steady if tricky development process saw fitters and crews develop an intrinsic eye for their vehicles, building astonishing technical expertise.

It's as much a story exploring the Army's professionalisation of conscripts and recruits as industrial development. /16
So by June '44, we have Churchills easily able to achieve 250 - 300 miles between major service, with some ultimately slogging on for much, much longer in the coming campaign.

Crews had become deeply knowledgeable and had faith in their mounts and their fitters. /17
By 1944 the 2 Pounder had long had it's day, and even the 6 pounder was no longer quite so desired.

A 95mm howitzer was originally mounted to create the Churchill V, aimed to make up for the 6 pdr's HE deficiency but the new dual purpose 75mm gun was regarded as preferable. /18
95mm armed Churchill V would be shunted to Squadron Headquarters, while the majority of tank regiments would embrace a three tank troop structure - two with 75mm & one with 6 Pdr.

This rounded capability so each troop could engage dug in targets and armour with relative ease./19
Brand new ARV (All Round Vision) cupolas began entering service in 44 and were retrofitted to some tanks in the run up, as were vane sights to improve delivery of indirect fire.

Crews learned the 6 pounder armed tanks would hunt armoured quarries whilst 75mms laid HE & smoke./20
Despite being technically skilled with their vehicles, and developing tight knit teams - many crews, troops, squadrons and regiments were rather green into 1943 thanks to the ill-fated Mixed Division experiment, which all too often saw them used to train infantry. /21
By '44 this had changed but a new pivotal row was gripping Independent Tank Brigades, how to be used in action.

Were Independent Armoured (w. Shermans) and Tank (w. Churchills) Brigades to be used in the same manner as Monty contended, or did they require different doctrine? /22
We'll look at training, doctrine, structure, tactics and some Normandy action in Part Two...* /thread

*Random fact, early sets of Churchill tracks actively put so much stress on the tank they effectively shook it apart over time.
*There will probably a little bit looking at North Africa & Tunisia/Italy as well...

As one or two lil' bits filter back, notably Norris King but his story is probably for another time!

More from Jonathan Ware

Jonathan Ware
Jonathan Ware
@ReassessHistory
So you're a platoon commander in Normandy, you've got your three infantry sections, and you need to quickly confer with your company commander. You're wireless op is ready with his WS No. 38.

Easy right?

Well... read on. /1
#WW2 #SWW #History


The WS No. 38 set was a compact wireless set (hence WS) assigned at the platoon level, allowing communication to headquarters, who used the bulkier and more powerful as WS No. 18.

A dedicated wireless operator controlled the set at platoon HQ, speaking via the throat mic. /2


WS No. 38 was usually controlled by Wireless Op's throat mic. Mounted on the chest with a nifty webbing cradle.

Aerial: three piece 12' aerial or 4' 'battle' aerial
Power: 0.2 Watts
Frequency: 7.4 - 9 MHz
Weight: 6kg
Battery: 20 - 35 hrs
Range:


You've probably noticed the set was under powered for the intended role, 0.2 Watts didn't really cut it.

The design also came under heavy criticism for unreliability as the key junction box and six point lead connector was known for a troubling propensity to break. /4


These were not pieces of kit used lightly, as you'd have to dodge, duck, dip, dive and... dodge, on a regular basis.

If the junction box broke, it rendered a serviceable set completely and utterly useless. /5
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Jonathan Ware
Jonathan Ware
@ReassessHistory
So when it first appeared in Normandy, the Sherman Firefly and it's meaty 17 pounder represented an ideal combo of reliable chassis, great gun and devastating firepower right?

Ummm...

Truth is a bit more complex. /1
#WW2 #SWW #History


Deliveries of Firefly to units only commenced in April 1944,
just a few weeks before Overlord & left minimal time for familiarisation.

Armoured Regiments mostly utilised Fireflies on a basis of 1 per troop of 4 tanks. /2


Finally each armoured regiment troop had access to integral, meaty, anti-tank firepower capable of dealing serious damage to any German AFV likely to be encountered. /3


The dual purpose 75mm gun was quite capable of laying down a reasonable HE shell or AP round for dealing with Panzer III or IV.

Firefly's 17 Pounder had.... problems with HE, but excelled at tank killing. So Tigers and Panthers would need to be wary. /4


Firefly's design history dated back to March 1943 when the General Staff published "Policy on Tanks" which effectively stated the majority of tanks should have a good HE weapon and...

[See image below] /5
HISTORY
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Jonathan Ware
Jonathan Ware
@ReassessHistory
So how easy was it for British & Canadian soldiers to keep clean and healthy in Normandy?

Couldn't be too hard, right? /1
#WW2 #SWW #History


You're an front line infantryman in a two man covered slit trench. Maybe 100m from the enemy

From dawn to dusk you're hunched underground, making the best of things in a covered trench 6' long, 3' deep and 2 1/2' wide or so.

With your mate crammed in there with you. /2


You know you're under constant observation by enemy observers and marksmen, who scan the ground looking to punish any foolish or unlucky opportunity target.

They may not get you, but their rounds may well kill or maim your friends. /3


Night offers a modicum of respite.

In darkness fresh, hot grub is bought up in large thermos flasks from the cooks in B Echelon. It's good hearty stuff.

The problem is the closer you are to the enemy, the more likely it'll be delayed or obliterated by an errant 155mm shell. /4


You can always tuck into food from your compo crates, which is fine, or 24 hour ration pack... or the famed emergency ration in a sticky spot.

The latter is really nice.

Chocolate laced with amphetamine or high dose of caffeine.

Yum. /5
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Jonathan Ware
Jonathan Ware
@ReassessHistory
Rhino Barges

One of the dullest, coolest, more bizarre and fascinating pieces of kit used in Normandy.

Which NO ONE REALLY CARES ABOUT.

BUT I DO AND YOU SHOULD TOO.
/1

#WW2 #SWW #History


Planning for Overlord and Neptune had a serious snag, how to get troops from LSTs onto the beach as simply ramming them onto the beaches and dropping the ramp was known to damage the exceptionally vulnerable LSTs and felt to be unsustainable in the mid to long term. /2


LSTs were essential in sustaining Overlord's progress and were a subject of major headaches in the planning phase, and a real subject of friction when it came to launching additional amphibious operations such as Dragoon.

A single LSTs loss represented a capability nick. /3


So, logic dictated, we don't really want these remarkable but rare and highly valuable vessels constantly doing beach landings, we want something to act as a medium between ship to shore, and in came the (mostly) American designed Rhino. /4


I fucking love Rhinos.

Seriously.

Graceful lines of pure industrial pedigree.

Modular.

LOOK AT IT. /5
HISTORY
Jonathan Ware
Jonathan Ware
@ReassessHistory
So you're a company commander in Normandy, trying to coordinate your three platoons in action, & liase w supporting tanks & some arty, & keep battalion headquarters appraised, & adapt as needed.

You know your platoons' sets are a bit crap.

What do you do? /1
#WW2 #SWW #History


The whole thing is a bit of a juggling act.

The core set at Company HQ was the WS No. 18 set, linking in with WS No. 38 sets used by platoons & back to Battalion HQ.
0.25 Watts
6-9Mhz
2.5 miles range with R/T and 4 miles with W/T
Interference in woodlands/around armour /2


The 18 set was more durable than the WS No. 38, but much less powerful than the popular WS No. 19 and 22 sets... then again you can carry it about and not worry about a vehicle or cart for it in action. /3


Much like the WS No. 38 set, the No. 18 set also relies on a rather conspicuous aerial - 10' (3m) high.

The Army knew such height wasn't desirable and trials of ground trailing aerials for the 18 and 38 sets were underway in theatre but there were problems... /4


It performed poorly on wet ground, and Normandy was... frequently soggy, whilst movement through thick undergrowth could damage the copper wire which also had the habit of snapping if stepped on.

So signallers, and those around them, had to be pretty considerate in action. /5
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The #OMFV industry day last week provided some clarity and a few new angles on the requirement. A few highlights and thoughts below

(Image an old NGCV concept art, not from recent industry day)


Unsurprising desire to prioritise survivability, stated as #1 priority. At this stage specifics are unclear, but for contemporary ATGM/KE you need APS, ERA & some rather fancy composites. Even then overmatch will be tough in conjunction with mobility/transportability aspirations


Firepower requirements to engage infantry up to tanks, and helicopters. So an ATGM essential, and high elevation cannon. Given need for unmanend turret (see further down), could mean high profile turret, or loss of swept volume inside vehicle to allow that big 50 mm to elevate


The OM is back in OMFV. Clear statement that

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Exactly a year ago, at 17 minutes past midnight (12:17), an Airbus A350 belonging to Ajnihat al-Sham flight arriving from Damascus landed at Baghdad airport with 5 Iranian commanders onboard, including Sardar Qassem Soleimani A #US SOF team was waiting close by.+

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@ReassessHistory
So you're a company commander in Normandy, trying to coordinate your three platoons in action, & liase w supporting tanks & some arty, & keep battalion headquarters appraised, & adapt as needed.

You know your platoons' sets are a bit crap.

What do you do? /1
#WW2 #SWW #History


The whole thing is a bit of a juggling act.

The core set at Company HQ was the WS No. 18 set, linking in with WS No. 38 sets used by platoons & back to Battalion HQ.
0.25 Watts
6-9Mhz
2.5 miles range with R/T and 4 miles with W/T
Interference in woodlands/around armour /2


The 18 set was more durable than the WS No. 38, but much less powerful than the popular WS No. 19 and 22 sets... then again you can carry it about and not worry about a vehicle or cart for it in action. /3


Much like the WS No. 38 set, the No. 18 set also relies on a rather conspicuous aerial - 10' (3m) high.

The Army knew such height wasn't desirable and trials of ground trailing aerials for the 18 and 38 sets were underway in theatre but there were problems... /4


It performed poorly on wet ground, and Normandy was... frequently soggy, whilst movement through thick undergrowth could damage the copper wire which also had the habit of snapping if stepped on.

So signallers, and those around them, had to be pretty considerate in action. /5
WAR

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